243 Saul’s Demise Ackroyd 1971 : 29 ; Gordon 1986 : 197 ; Gabriel 2003 : 220 – 216 ; Tsumura 2007 : 632 ) . To be sure, both springs are close to each other, less than two miles apart . Anyway, the area controls the southern entrance to the Jezreel Valley and the road junction is today called “Naboth Junction” . The decisive encounter, however, takes place somewhere in the middle between both armies’ rear camps, i . e . between Shunem and the Spring of Jezreel, approximately in the middle of the spacious, fertile, and plain - like terrain . Saul probably prayed for heavy rain and muddy soil that would restrict or even restrain the advance of the enemy’s chariots and heavily - armed foot soldiers . It will prevent them from maneuvering in the muddy Jezreel Valley ( which is typical for Jezreel Valley under heavy rains : compare the story of the war between Barak and Sisera—Jud Chaps 4 – 5 ) . Indeed, in the south of Philistia, heavy rain prevented a third of David’s band from crossing t...
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